System and method for routing imaged documents
AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.
InventorsJohn D. O'Connell, Peter N. Baker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for sorting, scanning and routing imaged documents are described. In one configuration, incoming mixed white mail is sorted and coded, then extracted and scanned using the code to separate items. The separate imaged documents are then routed using the code. In another configuration, the documents are automatically extracted from the envelopes. In yet another configuration, the intended recipient is sent an identifier used to reference the code and retrieve the imaged document.
Claims20
A method for routing images of documents comprising:
- receiving a mail piece having an envelope comprising a code apart from an intended recipient address field;
- removing mail piece contents from the envelope;
- feeding the mail piece contents and the envelope and at least one other document having second mail piece contents and a second envelope, all separately and serially to a digital imaging device in a serial stream;
- obtaining a digital representation of mail piece contents using the digital imaging device, wherein the code is scanned and used as a document separator sheet to determine how to separate the mail piece contents from the second mail piece contents from the at least one other document in the serial stream;
- and
- then routing the digital representation of the mail piece contents using the code.
A method for routing a plurality of scanned images of documents received in a corresponding plurality of mail piece pieces including a first scanned image of documents received in a first mail piece and a second scanned image of documents received in a second mail piece wherein each of the plurality of mail pieces includes a respective envelope that encloses the documents when they are received comprising:
- assigning a unique identifier to each of the plurality of mail pieces;
- marking the respective unique identifier on the respective envelope of the respective mail piece apart from an intended recipient address field;
- recognizing at least one respective recipient associated with each of the plurality of mail pieces using an automated recipient recognition system;
- receiving a stack including separately, the respective first envelope, the documents received in the first mail piece that have been removed from the first envelope, the respective second envelope having a second respective unique identifier on the respective second envelope, and the documents received in the second mail piece that have been removed from the second envelope;
- obtaining the scanned images of documents received in the first mail piece and the scanned images of documents received in the second mail piece using the respective second unique identifier on the second envelope as a document separator sheet to determine how to separate the scanned images of documents received in the first mail piece and the scanned images of documents received in the second mail piece, and
- delivering the plurality of scanned images of documents to the respective at least one recipient using the respective unique identifier.
A method for routing images a digital representation of documents in a mail piece wherein the mail piece includes an envelope containing the documents when the mail piece is received comprising:
- identifying a unique identifier on the envelope apart from an intended recipient address field;
- recognizing an intended recipient using the unique identifier;
- receiving a stack including, separately, the envelope and the documents that have been removed from the envelope and for obtaining the digital representation of the documents in a mail piece using the identifier as a separator sheet to determine how to separate the documents from a second mail piece in the stack;
- and
- routing the digital representation of the documents using the identifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.